Grants

Supplemental Funding Round for Fall 2022!

PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) provides technical and grant assistance in support of community projects related to park and recreation facilities, trails, rivers and open space. Bureau resources also support many of the Commonwealth’s conservation, recreation and heritage partners.

Applicants are also encouraged to consider the following priorities identified in the 2020-2024 Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and how they may relate or be integrated into your community project:

• Community Parks & Recreation: Priority projects in this category include projects that help rehab existing parks and those that improve access for all.
• Land Conservation/Watershed Protection: Priority projects in this category include land conservation projects that protect critical habitat, climate resilient lands, forested watersheds, wetlands, and riparian corridors or create critical connections between public or conservation lands.
• Watershed Restoration/Rivers Implementation: Priority projects in this category include projects that enhance public access to Pennsylvania’s waterways or projects that improve Pennsylvania’s watersheds and waterways including the planting of riparian forest buffers.
• Trails: Priority projects in this category include projects that close Priority Trail Gap

Click here for Fall 2022 Supplemental Round FAQ

Click here for the complete Suplemental Round guidance package

WeConservePA is offering grants of up to $5,000 to conservation-oriented non-profit organizations or local/county governments to support their local trail and greenway outreach and education efforts.

Funded through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and administered WeConservePA, Regional Trail Workshop Grants are awarded to support high-quality educational programming and safety training directly related to trails and greenways. Regional Trail Workshop Grants are reimbursement grants that cover up to 80 percent of the costs directly associated with each workshop (not to exceed $5,000) and require a 20 percent match from the organization. Grantees are responsible for all remaining workshop costs. Applicants may only receive one grant per calendar year.

Complete the grant application and budget worksheet and submit to cgrayshaw@weconservepa.org by the application deadline of January 27, 2022 to be considered for the 2022 grant round.

For awarded grants, requests for payment must be submitted to the WeConservePA by October 15, 2022, and only expenses accrued up to September 30, 2022 will be eligible for reimbursement.

The Small Business Advantage Grant provides 50% matching grants, up to a maximum of $5,000 to enable Pennsylvania small businesses to purchase energy efficient or pollution prevention equipment, or adopt waste reduction processes.

DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) assists local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to parks, recreation, planning, and conservation. Applications for DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants are accepted once a year, typically during the spring. Grants also support regional and statewide partnerships that build capacity to better develop and manage resources.

Tutorial videos: 

• Walkthrough of the grant application 
• 2023 grant workshop video series (additional project information)

Before starting your grant application, contact your DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation regional advisor for advice on making your project as competitive as possible for funding.